Checkrein-loop



PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

.J. G. AVERILL.

GHEOKREIN LOOP.

APPLIOTION FILED MAY 4, 1903.

NO MODEL.

IJNTTED STATES Patented September 20, 19 04.

JOHN C. AVERILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

A CHEGKRElN-LOOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,449, dated.September 20, 1904.

Application filed May 4, 1903 Serial No. 155,596. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN C. AVERILL, a citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Chekrein-Loops, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to ch eckrein-loops, and more particularly to aform of loop which requires a peculiar manipulation to attach or detachfrom the check-hook, and also to a guard adapted to cooperate with saidloop and more effectively prevent the accidental disengagement of theloop from the hook.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivecheckrein-loop which may readily be attached to the ordinary checkrei nand to the check-hooks commonly used and at the same time provide aloopwhich cannot be accidentally detached from the hook, but must bemanually separated therefrom in a particular manner.

My invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the harness-saddleand check-hook secured thereto, showing my improved check-loop inposition to be attached. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the check-loopin operative position. Fig. 3 is a view of another form of check-hook,showing my improved check-loop with guard in relative position andillustrating the manner in which the guard operates to confine the loopto an inseparable position on said hook. Fig. 4: is a plan view of theloop-body with guard in operative position as seen in an invertedposition. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the guard. Fig. 6 is a sectional viewof the loop without the guard, taken on line 6 6, Fig. 4.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in all the views.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the ordinaryharness-saddle; 2, .the check-hook; 3, the check-loop; 4, the checkrein,and 5 the guard.

The loop (designated 3) is made of metal, preferably in one piece, andin theform shown has a cap-like appearance, comprising the crown or wallportion 6,with the bill or crescent-shaped flange 7 projecting from oneside thereof. The opposite side of said loop, or that portion to whichthe checkrein is attached, is preferably straight and of reduced depth,as will be seen at 8, Figs. 2 and 3, and is formed into a cross-bar 9.1O designates a second cross-bar extending parallel with the cross-bar 9and adjacent thereto and forming the slot 11, which receives thecheckrein A. It also forms one side of the main opening 12, which isadapted to receive the checkhook 2, it being understood, of course, thatthe top and bottom of the loop-body are open. The laterally-oppositeportions of the loop between the ends of the crescent-shaped flange andthe ends of the bar 10 are comparatively thin, of the same depth as theloop proper, and nearly straight in cross-sectional form in order thatthe loop may be engaged with the hook when turned on its side, so as tobring the thin portion opposite the narrow opening 2, as shown in Fig.l, and thereafter passed through the opening into the position shown inFig. 2. It will be observed that'the loop cannot be disengaged from thehook without being turned on its side and shifted laterally forwarduntil the thin portion of the wall has been brought opposite the opening2, which is just wide enough transversely to permit the passage of thatportion of the loop wall through it.

The guard (designated 5) is made of leather or analogous flexiblematerial and in the form shown consists of a piece of leathersubstantially conforming in outline to the outline of the loop 3, asseen in Fig. 5. At one end thereof is provided a slot 13, adapted toregister with the slot 11 in the loop-body when used in connectiontherewith and to receive the check-rein 4, as will be more fullyunderstood by reference to Fig. 3. At the opposite end of said guard isformed an aperture 14:, adapted to register with the forward portion ofthe aperture 12 in the loop-body, as shown in Fig. 4, and to receive thecheck-hook 2, and thereby confine the loop to a certainrelative positionupon said hook which prevents its being turned in the mannerhereinbefore IOO edge of the guard is a slit 15, forming two free ends16 and 16. These ends being free and of flexible material may be pressedapart in such a manner as to open the slit 15 sufliciently to permit theguard being disengaged from the hook and turned back, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. 3. After said guard has been thus disengaged from the hookthe loop body may be turned on its side, as shown in Fig. 1, and shiftedfrom the hook in the same manner as hereinbefore described.

It will be understood that the guard may be used in conjunction withother forms of loops and also that it may be used with almost any formof hook; but that the form of hook determines the manner in which theloop must be turned to be attached or detached, as will be illustratedby a comparison of the hook shown in Fig. 1 with that shown in Fig. 3.In the first form the loop would be turned on its side and passedthrough the opening 2 with a horizontal movement, while in the form ofFig. 3 the loop would be inverted and passed through the opening 2' withan upwardlycurved movement. The movement for detaching the loop from thehook is just the reverse of that for attaching it and will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description and reference to the drawings.

It is evident that variation from the forms shown may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and I do not limit myself tothe particular construction shown.

I claim 1. A checkrein-loop, comprising a pair of parallel bars arrangedin the same general plane and forming one side of the loop, theremainder of the loop being approximately of horseshoe shape in planview, one edge of the curved side of the loop being provided with anoutwardly flaring crescent-shaped flange extending in the general planeof the loop and widest at the apex of the curve, the ends of the flangeterminating coincident with the junction of the curved sides with thebars, and the sides ofthe loop at this point being approximatelystraight and thin in cross-section.

2. In combination, a safety checkrein-loop, comprising a body portionadapted to be attached to a checkrein and to engage the checkhook and aguard to cooperate with said loop, comprising a flexible body adapted tobeattached, in register with said loop, to the checkrein, and having ahook-receiving aperture and a slit extending out from saidhook-aperture, for the purpose shown and described.

3. In a safety checkrein-loop, the combination with an open rigid loopprovided with a strap-slot, of a cooperating guard comprising a flexiblebody in outline form similar to that of said loop-body and provided witha slot and an aperture adapted to register respectively with the slotand the hook-receiving aperture in said loop-body and adapted to embracethe check-hook during the engagement of said loop therewith,.said guardbeing slotted from the hook-aperture outwardly to the margin of theguard, for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination, a detachable guard for JOHN (J. AVERILL.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, FREDERICK O. GrooDwI

